The Sony Future Filmmaker Awards 2024 are now open for submissions and free to enter via the awards’ website. The annual short film competition aims to support independent filmmakers around the world. The deadline is 15 February 2024.

There are six categories entrants can submit to: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Environment, Animation, Student and Future Format. Films for the Fiction, Non-Fiction and Student category must be between 5 to 20 minutes long. The Student category is open to anyone studying a film course at a registered institution at a diploma or degree level worldwide. The Future Format category is open to films 2 to 5 minutes long of any genre that are shot exclusively with a smartphone.

The thirty shortlisted filmmakers will be flown to Los Angeles for the Awards ceremony on 30 May 2024 in the Cary Grant Theatre on the Sony Pictures studio lot in Culver City, California. Winners will be selected by a panel of leading industry figures and win cash prizes and a range of Sony Digital Imaging equipment. Shortlisted and winning filmmakers will also be invited to attend a four-day workshop programme that will provide access to the inner workings of the industry, looking at topics like pitching, legal and working with talent agencies.

Fiction, Non-Fiction, Environment and Animation category winners receive an FX9 Cinema Line Camera, a FE C 16-35mm lens plus a $5,000 cash prize. The Student category winner receives an FX6 Cinema Line Camera plus an FE 24-105mm lens and the Future Format category winner receives Sony Digital Imaging equipment plus a $2,500 cash prize.

See the Sony Future Filmmaker Awards 2023 shortlist and winners.

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